Portable electronic devices have become increasingly popular for both personal and commercial use. For example, tablet computers, or simply tablets, are increasing used for tasks such as surfing the internet, checking email, reading e-books, playing games, running apps, watching video content, listening to audio content, and video conferencing, among others. Tablets, however, can be relatively heavy to hold, particularly for long periods of time, and with the increasing use of tablets, there have been increasing incidents of pain and/or injury due to prolonged tablet use. Poor posture while using a tablet can lead to neck or back strain, and extended holding of a tablet can lead to repetitive strain injuries in the arms and/or hands. Similar problems exist for other types of portable electronic devices such as electronic readers and mobile phones, as well as printed materials such as books, newspapers and magazines.
As a result of these concerns, some individuals rely on a tablet stand or holder when using a tablet. A variety of tablet stand designs are available, including desktop and floor designs. Conventional tablet stands, however, suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, many conventional tablet stands are designed purely based upon mechanical concerns, rather than aesthetic concerns. In addition, given that floor stands are by necessity relatively large, such floor stands are not easily hidden away when not in use, thus forcing some individuals to leave an unattractive floor stand sitting in their living space at all times. Some designs, in particular, are designed such that the mechanical components that hold the tablet to the stand are effectively hidden behind the tablet when the tablet is held by the stand, and as a result, some stand designs can be even less attractive when no tablet is held by the stand.
In addition, given that an individual may wish to use a tablet in a variety of locations, many tablet stand designs are adjustable, e.g., to enable a tablet to be used while standing, while sitting in a chair, while sitting or laying on a sofa, or while sitting or laying in a bed. Adjustments to conventional tablet stand designs, however, are often cumbersome and time consuming, since the adjustments may involve complex interactions such as loosening and retightening adjustment knobs, extending or shortening variable length arms, etc. Furthermore, many conventional designs enable users to adjust a stand to positions that are not ergonomically acceptable, potentially leading to many of the same concerns associated with hand-held tablets.
The manner in which a tablet is held by a stand may also be problematic in some designs. Many designs rely on opposing grips that retain a tablet along one or more edges. While such designs can securely hold a tablet, in practice such designs may be cumbersome to adjust to accommodate multiple differently-shaped devices and/or may be difficult to insert or remove a tablet or other device.
Therefore, a substantial need exists in the art for a tablet stand design that is aesthetically pleasing both when in use with a tablet and when not in use, that is easily adjustable between various ergonomically-friendly designs, and that can readily accept multiple differently-shaped devices.